Local philanthropist Berta Faye Rex injured in house fire

→Received United Way of Central

Oklahoma lifetime achievement award in January.

→Served on Oklahoma City Educare and Smart Start Central Oklahoma boards.

→Married to late John W. Rex,

president of Okla-homa City American Fidelity Assurance Co. He died in 2006.

→Serves on Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Allied Arts boards and on the University of Oklahoma Institute for Breast Health board.

Wait for pros, firefighters say

Oklahoma City Fire Department Deputy Chief Cecil Clay said no one should ever try to put out a house fire before firefighters arrive because of intense heat and smoke.

"Because of modern home construction and contents of our modern homes, there is an enormous amount of plastics and materials that produce a lot more heat in a house fire than, say, 20 years ago,” Clay said. "Those materials put out really toxic gases that can affect your judgment. You don’t realize the affect on your brain when you breathe in hot gas. It can do life-changing damage to your lungs.”